14-Day Vietnam and Laos Tour In Focus

* Brief Itinerary:

DAY 1: SAIGON – ARRIVAL. O/N IN HOCHIMINH.
DAY 2: HOCHIMINH CITY TOUR & CU CHI TUNNELS. O/N IN HOCHIMINH
DAY 3: HOCHIMINH – MEKONG DELTA. O/N IN HOCHIMINH
DAY 4: HOCHIMINH – FLY TO DANANG – HOIAN ½ CITY TOUR. O/N IN HOIAN.
DAY 5: HOIAN. O/N IN HOIAN
DAY 6: HOIAN – DANANG – FLY TO HANOI. O/N IN HANOI
DAY 7: HANOI CITY TOUR & BAT TRANG POTTERY VILLAGE. O/N IN HANOI
DAY 8: HANOI – HALONG CRUISE. 

DAY 9: HALONG – HANOI – OVERNIGHT IN HANOI

DAY 10: HANOI – FLY TO LUANG PRABANG – MEKONG CRUISE TO PAK OU. ON IN LUANG PRABANG
DAY 11: LUANG PRABANG – ALMS-KUANGSI WATERFALL – CITY TOUR. ON IN LUANG PRABANG
DAY 12: LUANG PRABANG – FLY TO VIENTIANE. ON IN VIENTIANE
DAY 13: VIENTIAN CITY TOUR – FREE. ON IN VIENTIANE
DAY 14: VIENTINE – DEPARTURE

Detailed Tour:

DAY 1: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus: SAIGON – ARRIVAL. O/N IN HOCHIMINH.

Arrival Saigon, you will meet your tour guide at the airport and transfer to your desired hotel for check-in.  The bustling Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals, is a center of commerce, finance, culture and tourism in Vietnam.

This metropolis ,contradiction of its northern counterpart, is crowded with bikes and motorbikes, excited by numerous shopping areas and sidewalk cafes. (If time permits) we stroll around the down town to explore the different local ways of life

O/N in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 2: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus : SAIGON PRIVATE HALF-DAY CITY TOUR + CU CHI TUNNELS (B/-/-)

Today we spend a half day exploring the captivating Ho Chi Minh City. The most places of interest are located near the town center. We pass by the now-demolished wartime American Embassy on our way to the Reunification Palace. This famous edifice was a former residence of the President of Southern Vietnam until end of Maril 1975. Close to the palace are some striking French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office. We follow these with a visit to the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnant Museum with a wealth of images from the notorious conflicts. The sightseeing ends up with a walk around the retail Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything is for sale!

Afternoon: Transfer about 30km north-west of Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi town. Cu Chi tunnels were used as the base from which the Vietnamese mounted their operations of the Tet Offensive in 1968. The incredible underground network in Cu Chi stretched over 200 kilometres and became legendary during the American war. The extensive tunnels have been specially constructed with living areas, weapon factories, filed hospitals, command centres, plus accommodation. Today we have an excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels to visit an exposition hall and a widened section of the tunnels to get a feel of the underground life. There are also possibilities to fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range.

O/N in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 3: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus : HOCHIMINH CITY – MEKONG DELUXE GROUP TOUR (B/L)

6.30 AM: Depart for Cai Be by car/van via Trung Luong Express Highway, stopping to take photos in Tan An town overlooking the picturesque flat rice fields. 

9.30 AM: On arrival in Cai Be, set off by motor boat to visit the Cai Be floating market and watch the locals trading fruit and many other commodities on board their vessels. Visit a small family business to see how coconut candy and crispy rice popcorn are made. Then wander into the small villages to visit the orchard and fruit plantation, accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music.

11.30 AM: Keep cruising to a series of small canals to experience the charms of the Upper Mekong Delta. Arrive in Tan Phong island, join to a cooking class. Enjoy your cooking experience and learn how to prepare special Vietnamese dishes. Food cooked by yourself and fresh river food served in the heart of the garden. Relax on the hammocks to get back your energy.

14.00 PM: Cycle around the village path with fruit orchards and bonsai garden. Meet the local islanders to learn more about the local daily life in the Mekong delta. 15:00 PM: Take a boat ride back to Cai Be, meet the car/van for the trip back to Hochiminh city.  

Included: A/C car w/ drinking water, English speaking tour guide, boat trips, lunch, fruit, honey tea, entrance fee, cooking class, bike.

Excluded: Travel insurance, beverage, personal costs

O/N in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 4: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus : HOCHIMINH – FLY TO DANANG. O/N IN HOIAN.

Breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up by our guide to the airport for a short flight to Danang.

Arrival to Danang Airport,  you’ll be welcome by our tour guide & driver then accompanied to your hotel in Hoi An for a check-in.

HOI AN WALKING TOUR ½ DAY
Our guide will pick you up at your hotel in Hoi An and take you for a walking tour around old streets to explore Hoi An Ancient Town including the Japanese Covered Bridge, the beautiful Chinese Assembly Halls, the Tan Ky Old House, Sa Huynh Museum and the local market. Hoi An is also a place for shopping and making tailor with reasonable price. End of the tour at your hotel.

O/N in Hoi An.

DAY 5: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus : HOIAN. O/N IN HOIAN

Breakfast at your hotel, you will be free to explore Hoian by yourself.

Optional: Private Farming & Fishing Life Tour:

After having breakfast at hotel, we will start to enjoy a farm tour. This tour provides you with a close-up and intimate exposure to both the local farming and fishing communities. Accompanied by your tour guide, you commence the day leisurely cycling along country roads witnessing local Vietnamese rural life first hand, discovering all manner of photo opportunities – coming and visiting a beautiful organic vegetable village, watering and planting vegetable, hoeing a soil with local farmer, riding a water buffalo in a rice paddy field; seeing ducks swimming along the rice farm or farmers tending their crops. The photo opportunities are endless.

As well you will experience the friendliness of the local people greeting you along the way. Later you will board our Jack Tran’s boat for a river cruise to meet and engage with local fishermen and enjoy a hands-on experience of traditional net fishing. You will also experience paddling the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat while the waterways of coconut palm paradise. This tour provides you with a cultural window into the ways of life of both our farming and fishing communities.

O/N in Hoian.

DAY 6: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus : HOIAN – DANANG – FLY TO HANOI. O/N IN HANOI

After breakfast, you will be picked up to the airport for a short flight to Hanoi.

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met by our guide and driven to your hotel. Time for relaxing after the journey.

With time permits, you may have an easy walk around the Old Quarter and tickets for a performance of traditional Water Puppetry, an art form unique to northern Vietnam, and a good, light-hearted introduction to its rural culture. You’ll spend the night in Hanoi.

O/N in Hanoi.

DAY 7: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus : HANOI PRIVATE CITY TOUR & BAT TRANG POTTERY VILLAGE. O/N IN HANOI

08:30 AM – Pick up from your hotel, we’ll start the day with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Complex: which includes the Ho Chi Minh Museum, and his modest stilt house which provide valuable insights into the life and times of one of the most successful leaders of the 20th century. You will then visit the excellent Ethnology Museum for an overview of Vietnam’s 54 distinct ethnic groups.

Lunch will be served at KOTO – a restaurant belonging to a and vocational training program that is changing the lives of street and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam. In the afternoon, you’ll head to Bat Trang village – a premier ceramics centre 15 km northeast of the city centre.

While the upper side is quite commercialized and focuses on glazed ceramic items, the riverside ‘ancient’ village leans more towards earthenware and pottery products. There’re opportunities to try your hand on making our own products, or wandering around its large ceramics market. Dinner on your own and overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 8: HANOI – HA LONG BAY CRUISE (GROUP TOUR) (B/L/D)

8:00 – 08:30: Our SHUTTLE BUS with tour guide will pick you up at your hotels (Note: This pick-up is just applied for those who use our shuttle bus service)

10h30: Stopover in Hai Duong city where you can experience our hand-made Vietnamese handicraft products.

12h30: Arrive in Tuan Chau Marina Pier (Tuan Chau Island). Followed by activities:

+ Boarding HALONG BAY CRUISE for departure.

+ Welcome drink will be served and cruise briefing, safety instructions, check-in cabins by Cruise Manager.

+ Great lunch is served while cruising passing by islets, through Hoa Cuong floating village.

+ Exploration of Halong Bay passing by Soi Sim Beach, Coconut Three Island. Then arrive in the area of Surprising Cave.

+ Kayaking & swimming or climbing up to the mountain and getting a complete view of Halong Bay at Titov Beach

+ Joining our COOKING CLASS on the sun-deck. Let’s see how to make the fresh/fried spring rolls and mix fish-sauce.

+ Enjoy sunset party with fruits and wine.

19:30: Under the magnificent night sky, our luxury set-menu dinner is served with a variety of Vietnamese and Asian foods.

Evening activities include:

+ Join the SQUID FISHING on boat with our crews. You can enjoy the squid cooked with assistance from our chef.

+ Or Laze yourself with our happy-hour drinks at the bar.

Overnight on  Cruise (Deluxe Cabin)

DAY 9: HA LONG BAY – HANOI (B/L)

06:15: Tai Chi class on the Sun-deck.

07:15: Have breakfast with Coffee, tea and Bakeries on board.

08:00: Visit the SURPRISING CAVE (Hang Sung Sot) discovered by the French in 1901. Opened for tourists since 1936, now it is a must-to-see and a symbol for geology value of Halong.

09:30: Check out time. Then relax on the sun-deck or inside the restaurant to enjoy the bay’s scenery.

10h15: Enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch while cruising back to the pier.

12:00: Disembarkation at Tuan Chau Pier. Our car will be at your disposal to pick you up then drive back to Hanoi.

16:00: Arrive in Hanoi. End of the trip!

O/N in Hanoi.

DAY 10: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus : HANOI – FLY TO LUANG PRABANG – MEKONG CRUISE TO PAKOU. ON IN LUANG PRABANG

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Luang Prabang in Laos, once referred to as the jewel of Indochina. 

After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, cruise away from the city with a boat trip on the mighty Mekong. Meander up the Mekong to the junction with the Nam Ou river, and the site of the Pak Ou caves. Explore these shrines carved into the cliff face before returning by road at Ban Xanhg Hai village. Along the way, visit the typical Lao villages at Ban Xangkhong and Ban Xienglek, well known for its hand-made Jute Sar paper.

O/N in Luang Prabang.

DAY 11: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus : Alms, Khaoungsi + Butterfly park lunch, City Tour. ON IN LUANG PRABANG

AM: Early Morning Devotions and Khouangsi Falls
(~05.30 – 07:00)
Rise early to witness one of the most magical and timeless scenes of Southeast Asia: hundreds of monks processing through the streets of Luang Prabang accepting offerings of food from the local residents and businesses. Rising early also gives the chance to wander through the fresh market on the way back to the hotel for breakfast.

(~08:30 – 13:30)
Drive to the beautiful waterfalls of Tat Khouangsi. Below the 90m drop of the main cascade are a series of pools, connected by smaller falls and cascades. At low water levels the water is an unbelievable turquoise, and swimming in the lower pools is a great way to cool off.

On the walk through the forest to the falls, you will also pass the Free the Bears project – home to a group of rescued Asiatic Black (Moon) Bears and one Malayan Sun Bear. In the early afternoon they are often searching for food hidden in their enriched environment enclosures. Or they may just be sleeping!

Enjoy lunch at the lovely Butterfly Park cafe, situated within the butterfly conservation and education centre.

The route back to town gives the opportunity to stop at the villages of some of the (over 100) different Lao ethnic groups at Ban Ou, Ban Ouay and Ban Thapene.

Return to your hotel to relax and refresh.

PM: City Tour (~14:00 – 17:30)
Return to the UNESCO protected city centre to appreciate its unspoiled Laotian-colonial fusion architecture, taking in notable Buddhist temples:S tart with Royal Palace Museum, Wat Xiengthong, with its traditional roofs sweeping low to the ground, the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, Wat Sene, the city’s oldest temple, and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai.

O/N in Luang Prabang.

DAY 12: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus: LUANG PRABANG – FLY TO VIENTIANE. ON IN VIENTIANE

After breakfast, you will be free till the pick up to the airport for a short flight to Vientiane. Arrival Vientiane, you will be welcome and picked up to the hotel for check in.

O/N in Vientiane.

DAY 13: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus : VIENTIANE PRIVATE CITY TOUR – ON IN VIENTIANE

After breakfast, we explore Vientiane capital by visiting the major sights of the capital

AM: Highlights of Vientiane (~08:30 – 11:30)
This morning we visit the oldest landmark in Vientiane, Wat Sisaket, which escaped looting by invading Siamese in the 19th century. We also visit the former royal temple of Wat Phra Keo, original home to the emerald buddha now housed in Bangkok. Continue on to the national icon That Luang stupa and Laos’ very own Arc de Triomphe the Patuxai monument, offering views over the city.

PM: Xieng Khuan Spirit City, “Buddha park” (~14:00 – 17:00)
After lunch, we visit the slightly surreal park of Xieng Khuan. Built by a monk through the 1960s until the revolution in 1975, this is a landscape of Hindu and Buddhist sculptures, and perfect for informal exploration by adults and children alike.

O/N in Vientiane.

DAY 14: Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus : Vietnam and Laos Tour in Focus: VIENTINE – DEPARTURE

Enjoy the morning at leisure until your departure flight.

End of services.

INCLUSION:
• Transportation in private/ Halong Bay Tour by Shuttle bus
• Accommodation in twin/ double shared room
• Boat trip as stated in above sights
• English speaking guide
• Admission fee to indicated sights
• Meals: daily breakfast at hotel, and meals dedicated in the program.
• Gov’t tax and service charge

EXCLUSION:

• Visa stamping fee on arrival
• Domestic air ticket as stated only 
• Int’l air tickets to/from Laos
• Travel Insurance in all kinds
• Lunch or dinner unless where stated
• Single room (quoted separately)
• Other foreign language guide
• Peak tourist season or special event rates
• Child or adult in triple sharing room
• Tip, drinks and other personal expenses